Clark's Oyster Bar

By Unknown - 11:00 PM

Clark's Oyster Bar is one of my favorite places to grab dinner.
A little taste of really, really fresh seafood in an otherwise hot & humid Austin where good quality seafood is hard to find.
If you haven't tried Clark's Oyster Bar yet, you don't know what you're missing!
It's nestled in one of Austin's most well-known areas Clarksville at West 6th Street.
Its ambiance is reminiscent of the East Coast and its distinct aroma carries a hint of the sweet and salty smells of the ocean with a whiff of fresh baked bread.

A couple weeks ago I came home from work to beautiful Stargazer lilies sitting in a tall glass vase waiting for me. It was such a lovely surprise from Chris. Isn't he such a sweetheart?
These "just because" flowers are my favorite.
A sweet gesture like this is one of the many reasons why I'm crazy about this guy.
Having gushed over how pretty my flowers are and what a lucky girl I am, we headed out for a romantic dinner at Clark's.

Like any other amazing restaurants, the place is almost always inevitably full but that doesn't stop you from getting seated quickly. The tables in the small dining area are reserved for folks with reservations. An equal number, if not more, of seats at the bar area, along the wall and outside patio are for walk-ins.

I love sitting at the bar facing the open kitchen where the magic happens.
That's exactly where we sat.

In front we got the live view of fresh, raw oysters being shucked and to our right side we watched the chefs in action.
The staff were friendly and chatted with us about Clark's history, its owners and siblings.
As we found out, the folks who own Clark's also own Perla's, Lamberts, Elizabeth St Cafe, and Fresa's.
All of which I'm a huge fan of!
No wonder I took an immediate liking when Chris & I first came to Clark's months ago.
They described Clark's as Perla's younger sibling.
But to me Clark's much more intimate, more bistrolike and definitely trumped Perla's on my list.

We started with a few cocktails & their housemade bread & butter with a side of flaky sea salt & pickled radish.

Aperol Spritz - aperol, orange juice & soda.

Ivory Fizz - tequila cabeza, pineapple, orange blossom & egg white.

The bread & butter were stunningly good!
And the flaky sea salt is the cherry on top.

We shared a half dozen of a variety of raw oysters.
Lucky Lime - Prince Edward Island.
Shiny Sea - Prince Edward Island.
Wallace Bay from Nova Scotia.
Served with a squeeze of fresh lemon, a side of fresh horseradish & cocktail sauce.

Oh boy, were they good!
Wallace Bay oysters were our favorite by far.
They have a robust salty start and smooth, clean finish.
Lucky Lime oysters came in second.
They're briny, rich, and plump.

Having went for the mussels & clams in a white wine and herb sauce last time, I opted for the snapper in sofrito sauce with toasted garlic spinach and lemon zest.
Instead of getting their famous lobster roll like last time, Chris went for their tuna salad sandwich with house confit, green olive & parsley vinaigrette and a pile-high of Clark's shoestring fries.

The fish was cooked perfectly!
The skin was crispy while the meat was moist and full of flavor.
The tomato sauce added a little tang with a little kick.

Those fries were addicting!
Once you had a piece you find your hand grabbing for more.
But he had plenty to share so I helped myself.

The weather was gorgeous that night which called for dessert outside on the patio.
Espresso over toasted marshmallow ice cream with chocolate graham crumb macarons.
Delishssush!

One of the most wonderful evenings I've enjoyed in a long time.
I highly recommend giving them a go.
If you're popping in for cocktails be sure to have an Ivory Fizz and a Stowaway.
If you're feeling fancy be sure to try their caviar and cold bar plates.Visit here for more details, directions, menus etc.

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Meet Vy

i am a working mom sharing the highlight reel of my journey as a wife, mother, fashion + travel enthusiast, and a friend. this space was created to inspire myself and you to live life tastefully, regardless of your 'titles'.